Posted by The Black Knight on July 14, 2000 at 20:58:09:
Chapter 8
One week later as the sun set over Walton State University Luke, Madeline, and Karen stood in the cafeteria of the college.
"You know I've had this strange feeling that I can't seem to shake for almost two days now." Karen said.
"You're young, Karen, if you live long enough you'll learn to recognize it." Luke said.
"Really, what is it?" Karen asked.
Luke led Madeline and Karen back into the hall beside the kitchen.
"I would rather discuss this down stairs." Luke said.
"There's a new girl down there, Nadine Anderson. She's young and a bit naive, but very powerful. I've been trying to teach her how to
control herself before she gets herself killed." Madeline said as she pulled out her key.
They walked down into the basement silently. A beautiful young woman with long straight brown hair and bright blue eyes walked slowly over to them.
"You've taught her a little too well, I think." Luke said.
"No, that's all natural talent. I'm trying to teach her how to recognize her feelings, such as the one going off in her pretty little head right now." Madeline said.
The young woman smiled a little as she held her hand out to him.
"Nadine Anderson." she said.
Luke took her small hand in his and kissed it. Nadine gasped as he turned her hand and bit into her wrist. She shuddered when he began to drink her blood.
"I tried to warn you, Nadine. It's just like we've been trying to tell Karen for the past thirty years, we can sense each other's presence." Madeline said.
"I know that. I've known that the Count has been here for some time now, I just can't place this other feeling." Karen said.
"If our brother could tear himself away from Miss Anderson for a moment perhaps he could explain it to you." Madeline said.
Nadine smiled as Luke backed away from her.
"What you've been feeling is Vlad Dracula Jr. He's our half-brother." Luke said.
"I've never met him." Karen said.
"There's a reason for that. The Count has kept him locked away in Castle Dracula for over a hundred years. Somewhere, somehow, he lost his ability to reason clearly. He's more than a vampire and nothing near mortal." Luke said.
"Is he dangerous?" Karen asked.
"To us, no. To anyone else he happens to run across he's very dangerous. Over the years he's grown more violent, at first he just cut his victims up, then he began skinning them alive. Now if he
strikes you'll be lucky to find any body parts left intact." Luke said.
"I've heard of a case like that." Karen said.
"Everyone has. His first rampage happened in turn of the century England. One of the older ones sent letters to the press to throw them off the trail until Jonathan and I could find him and take him
back to Transylvania. Back then they called him Jack the Ripper." Luke said.
"You're related to Jack the Ripper?" Nadine asked.
"How old is she?" Luke asked.
"About five years." Madeline answered.
"One of yours?" Luke asked.
"No, she was one of Angela's. Angela picked her to take her place, because she was getting tired of immortality. She didn't figure on Nadine giving into the sensuality of being a vampire." Madeline said.
"I said she was stubborn. I never said that she was all that bright." Luke said.
"You shouldn't talk about the dead like that." Karen said.
"Matty, could I ask you for a small favor?" Luke asked.
"You asking me for something, oh this is good." Madeline laughed.
"That isn't an answer." Luke said.
"Just let me enjoy it for a minute." Madeline said.
"Could we just get on with this? My shift starts in twenty minutes and I don't want to be late." Karen said.
"Alright, what do you want?" Madeline asked.
"I want you to get Catrina to help you find him." Luke said.
"No! There is no way that I'm going to mess with that crazy woman again." Madeline said.
"But she likes you and she hates me." Luke said.
"Who's Catrina?" Karen asked.
"John's mother. She's a bit eccentric and very bloodthirsty." Madeline said.
"She sounds like your kind of ghoul, I mean girl." Karen said.
"I know exactly what you mean Karen."
"She does have a point though Matty." Luke said.
"If I didn't know better I would think that you didn't like me. I will see what I can do with Catrina." Madeline said.
Madeline smiled as she walked toward the outside door.
"She's at my house and she won't be too happy about seeing you." Luke said.
"I'll go with her." Karen said.
Nadine smiled mischievously as Madeline and Karen left. Luke lay his hand on her cheek and kissed her. Nadine smiled as he moved back.
"Your heart lies elsewhere, does it not?" Nadine asked.
"You're very perceptive for a young woman."
Nadine pushed her hair back and tilted her head to one side.
"My master spoke of you often. I believe that she never quite got over you." Nadine said.
"She got over me centuries ago."
Nadine's eyes turned bright red and she bared her fangs.
"You got her killed and she meant a whole lot more to me than you do." Nadine said.
"You really don't want to do that."
Nadine lay her hand on his shoulders and Luke shook his head. He lay his hand on her throat and shoved her back across the room. Nadine grunted as she fell back on the concrete floor. Luke walked over to
Nadine so fast that she didn't have time to react. He lay his hand on the young woman's throat and lifted her off the floor. He held her up where he looked directly into her eyes.
"It is my blood that flows through your veins, girl. It would be good for you to remember that in the future." Luke said.
He hissed as he threw her back thirty feet into the iron door. She slid down and faded back into the darkness. Luke walked out to the cafeteria and to his office. Charli smiled as he came in the door.
"What's so funny?" Luke asked.
"You look unusual tonight, and apparently you feel different, because you're not so polite."
"Is there some reason that I should be polite?" Luke asked.
"There is no reason that you should be anything."
"I'm glad that thought finally occurred to you Charli." Luke said.
"I've known that for a long time. 'The Dragon Lady' called again to tell you that Miss Dalton is back so you don't have to take her class tonight. That new professor Doctor Tepesch was just here, he
seemed disappointed when I told him that you weren't here." Charli said.
"If I may give you a little advice Charli, stay away from him."
"Why, he seems like a very nice man. Besides he's very charming, and kind of reminds me of you a little. He's the only man who's ever come on to me and I didn't mind." Charli said.
"No, you wouldn't. Believe me behind that charming exterior is a cold-blooded killer who would love nothing more than to kill you."
"You know this man well?" Charli asked.
"I've known him all my life." Luke said.
Charli looked down at a piece of paper and smiled confidently. Luke looked down at the department memo that listed all the faculty on it. He took his overcoat off and hung it on the rack beside the door.
"Don't even think about asking me, because I won't tell you. Just leave it as he's a man I've known for a long time." Luke said.
"Perhaps I should go and have a talk to the good Doctor?"
Luke pointed down at the pendant that still hung at her throat.
"Be sure that you're wearing that when you do." Luke said.
"What's so important about this pendant?"
"That symbol on there is the crest of the House of Dracula. No vampire in his right mind would ever attack someone wearing it." Luke answered.
"Well it couldn't get much worse. Since I've met you I've been tied to a table, nearly had my throat ripped open, and I've been stabbed. Aside from actually getting killed how could anything bad
happen that hasn't already?"
"There are far worse things awaiting man than death." Luke said as he walked into his office.